These lighter than air rosemary dinner rolls are the perfect recipe for homemade bread. Incredibly airy, soft, and full of wonderful rosemary flavor, these are the best-yeasted dinner rolls out there!
Why this recipe works:
My ideal dinner roll is light and airy and not dense and eggy. Brioche-style rolls are not my favorite. Instead, I prefer light and flavorful water-based bread. A dinner roll shouldn't fill you up but be the perfect complement to your meal. So these are just that!
KEY INGREDIENTS:
Active Dry Yeast: yeast is what makes the rolls rise. This recipe calls for active dry yeast, which means that it needs to be "woken up" in warm water. I always get better results with active dry yeast as opposed to instant yeast.
Honey: Honey is what sweetens the rolls. Use any honey you like! My favorite is clover honey because I like the deep flavor, but floral honey would also be great.
Flour: Flour provides the structure and the base for these rolls. I used all-purpose flour, but you could also use bread flour if you want even more structure to the rolls.
Water: this recipe calls for water and not milk as the liquid. While testing these, I came to the conclusion that milk rolls are just too heavy.
How to make this recipe:
These awesome dinner rolls are so easy to make!
Time needed: 5 hours
- Start by activating the yeast in 110-degree water.
- Then mix in the flour, honey, rosemary, and salt.
- Knead until smooth and elastic, about 8-10 minutes.
- Transfer to an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled in size.
- Tare the dough into two-inch pieces and roll it into balls.
- Place the balls in a parchment-lined baking dish, cover, and let rise again.
- Brush rolls with olive oil or melted butter and bake for 20-30 minutes.
TIPS AND TRICKS FOR THIS RECIPE:
- Activate the yeast in 110-115 degree water, which should feel a bit warmer than body temperature.
- To test to see if the dough has been kneaded enough, do "the windowpane test," pull a section, and if you can pull it thin enough to see through it, it's ready!
- When rolling the dough into balls, pinch all the rough edges together and twist to form a smooth, rounded roll.
- Bake until the rolls are browned and sound hollow when tapped.
FAQ's:
These rolls are best made the same day, but they will stay good for two days in an airtight container.
Yes! Just knead by hand on a well-floured surface until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Store this recipe in an airtight container for up to two days.
Serve this recipe with:
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Light and Fluffy Rosemary Dinner Roll Recipe
- Prep Time: 4 hours
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 24 rolls 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: american
Description
These lighter than air rosemary dinner rolls are the perfect recipe for homemade bread. Incredibly airy, soft, and full of wonderful rosemary flavor, these are the best-yeasted dinner rolls out there!
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ ounce packet of active dry yeast
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tablespoons olive oil plus more for glazing
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ lukewarm water (ideal temp 105 degrees)
- ¾ cup water
- 2 tablespoons dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Combine the yeast and ¼ cup of lukewarm water in the bowl of a stand mixer with the hook attachment. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until the yeast has dissolved and the mixture has become foamy.
- Add the rest of the water, two tablespoons of olive oil, honey, flour, rosemary, salt, and mix until a dough forms.
- Continue to mix and knead until it's smooth, elastic, and if you can, pull an edge so thin that you can see through it.
- Lightly coat a large bowl with olive oil and place your dough inside. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise until it's doubled in size—about 2 hours.
- Tare the dough into two-inch sections and shape them into balls.
- Place the dough balls on a parchment-lined baking dish and bake let them rise until more than doubled in size—about 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Brush the dough with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and rosemary. Bake for 20-30 minutes.
Notes
- Activate the yeast in 110-115 degree water, which should feel a bit warmer than body temperature.
- To test to see if the dough has been kneaded enough, do "the windowpane test," pull a section, and if you can pull it thin enough to see through it, it's ready!
- When rolling the dough into balls, pinch all the rough edges together and twist to form a smooth, rounded roll.
- Bake until the rolls are browned and sound hollow when tapped.
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